Secretly A Prince
by sesshomarusama33
Summary: Kagome, a daughter of a wicked and jealous mother, secretly cares for a wounded white dog she found while running her daily errands. A life of shame - A Great Prince tricked into a smaller version of his demon self, hides from his Kingdom and silently waits for death.
1. Chapter 1

Kagome hummed to herself as she picked medicinal herbs, adding them to the wicker basket she carried with rough fingers. Holding the basket gingerly, she gasped as she heard a low growl come from the bushes to the left of her, and approached them with careful feet.

"Hello?" she called, grasping a branch as she pushed them aside, her eyes widening as she found a pure white dog marred with fresh crimson blood. She rushed to the dogs side, setting down the basket next to her as she inspected the deep gash on his back, careful as not to disturb it.

It growled at her once more, baring his fangs to her as red eyes slanted - revealing purple eyes.

"Oh dear, you're badly injured! Hold on - I have some topical ointment that will cure that right up!" She smiled at him, reaching into a bag that rested on her back, picking up a small oyster shell that held green paste inside of it.

The dog looked to her strangely, growling as she applied the ointment to his back. It stung as she applied it, but he could feel it's ointment curing her as she spread it carefully and gingerly onto him.

"There... now to bandage it so the wound won't get dirty." She spoke, ripping her plain yukata at the hem, beforing gently lifting him so that she could wrap it around his waist and over his back. He laid his head down, relaxing as he realized she meant no harm. She smiled at him, putting her hand on his head and patting it gently.

"I'll get you something to eat, so don't you move from here, alright?" She said, standing up to retrieve food for the injured dog.

He was asleep instantly- dreaming of lords and ladies.


	2. Chapter 2

Many thanks to the lovely Stella for beta-ing this for me! Love you, dear!

* * *

Kagome quietly entered her house, leaving her sandals at the door step before tip-toeing to her bedroom, trying not to alert her mother that she returned. She had taken much longer than what was expected of her, and she was sure to be punished severely for being late.

Helping that beautiful creature would be worth it, though. She couldn't help but treat the poor thing - what else could she do? Leave it there to die, alone and miserable?

Kagome had always had a soft spot for animals and people alike. She was a Shinto priestess, after all, and one of the many teachings she had learned was to preserve all life - she was not only following her heart, but following her teachings as well.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder about how the dog might be doing now, and just how exactly he had landed in such a predicament. Had he been fighting with another dog? It was obvious he'd been in a fight of some kind - but as to what kind, she didn't know.

She felt worry consume her body, but she could not return to him just yet. She had other duties to perform, and so she pushed thoughts of the wounded stray to the side.

As she continued to her room, she winced when the floor betrayed her and made a loud creak. Kagome braced herself for the shriek that was sure to follow, but was surprised when there was none. Curious, she peeked into her mother's room. She was passed out face down on the floor - her cheeks flushed as a sake cup was lying empty near her outstretched fingers. The room reeked of alcohol so much; the bitter smell was almost tangible .'

Frowning, she closed her shoji bedroom screen.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to my wonderful beta, Stella!

* * *

His father was obstinate.

His mother was indifferent.

He was ashamed. How could he, the Prince of the Western Lands, have fallen for something so stupid as this?

He looked at himself in the river, snarling at his reflection. The son of the Great and Terrible taiyoukai of the West… reduced to nothing but an insignificant _puppy._

His thoughts drifted back to his father.

How could his father demand such a request from his son? Sesshomaru completely understood the need of this arrangement… but for his father to agree to hand his son over to the panther clan? It was a disgusting idea, indeed!

He would never soil his bloodline with such a filthy creature. He absolutely hated panthers.

So when a fellow prince told him of a possible solution for his predicament, he took his word and sought a way out of the arranged marriage.

Deep in the forests to the East of his castle was a dark priestess by the name of Urasue. Sesshomaru was very skeptic over this, for he had heard terrible rumors of the priestess.

It was said that once a King had come to her, pleading for the life of his dying fiancé. She had taken the King's hand and smiled, agreeing to help save the princess' life, but had warned him that her service did not come cheap. Her price was frightful, and would cause the king more harm than good. He was reluctant, but as he thought of his fiancé and her beautiful face, he hastily agreed.

With this, the king's fate was sealed.

He had to try. She spoke of spells that could change the mind and how it processed; even allow Sesshoumaru to persuade his father to annul this arranged marriage with the horrible Panther clan's daughter.'

He was desperate.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to Stella, for being so quick about editing these chapters! 3

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"Kagome!" Came the shrill voice of her mother, shouting from the closed in shoji porch overlooking the river.

"Coming!" Kagome called, dropping her worn out rag into the makeshift wooden bucket filled with soiled water, standing up slowly. She sighed, looking to the floor that she had been scrubbing for almost two hours now. Her mother was stern, and once she had found out that her daughter had stayed out longer than permitted, had forced the poor girl into scrubbing their home spotless.

Kagome's hands throbbed with pain as blisters started to form from her vigorous sweeping earlier that day. She was also sure that her knees were busted from crawling on the floor for such a long time.

Terrified, she hurried to her mother, who was lounging carelessly on the patio. One arm was over her eyes, sheltering them from the light, the other arm laid on the deck, holding an empty sake bottle.

Kagome's face twisted with sheer disgust.

"Yes, mother?" Kagome asked, feigning sweetness.

"Be a dear and run over to Kaede's for me. I'm having a terrible headache," her mother sighed, dropping the sake bottle and letting it roll to her daughter's feet.

"Is that all, mother?" Kagome sighed, bending down to pick up the discarded sake bottle.

"Fetch me another bottle from Koichi, as well."

"Yes, mother." Kagome bowed her head, turning from the drunken woman and walking back into the house. She couldn't bear to look at her sad excuse for a mother any longer. She left the house and began walking towards Kaede's village, looking to the sky.

She heard a loud yelp and stopped in her tracks, looking towards a hedge of bushes where the noise came from.

'Is that… that dog?' She ran, dropping the sake bottle onto the cold ground.


End file.
